ASCEND
ACHIEVE. SUCCEED. CONFIDENCE. EMPOWER. NURTURE. DRIVE.
POWERED BY:
We welcome all young women (and young men!) to join us for a
very special forum.
ASCEND
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15TH
6:30-8pm
Valencia High School
Performing Arts Center
27801 North Dickason Drive
Valencia, CA
(enter parking lot off of Decoro, free parking anywhere in this lot for the event)
Welcome
Speakers
Panel
Meet & Greet
“Made me realize that women can make it anywhere!”
“I feel like I came out with something new and valuable I’ll use forever.”
“It was really inspiring and gave me more to think about for my future.”
Junior High and High School can be hard.
Academically Strenuous.
Both socially uplifting and difficult.
An emotional rollercoaster fraught with questions about ourselves and our future:
Where am I headed?
How do I get there from here?
How do I find and maintain the drive and confidence to achieve my goals?
How do I deal with the stressors of life and social media?
Rather than build obstacles that stand in your way, come listen to strong, successful women from a variety of fields as they share with you what it takes to be strong, practice self-care, and find the confidence and drive to be successful and achieve your dreams. The path to success in not always a straight line. Listen to women who’ve been there.
Powered by Boston Scientific – whose strong commitment to youth education and empowerment through their corporate programs is making a difference for our Hart District students. WiSH is proud to call them our annual partner, making a significant impact on the over 20,000 students we serve.
REGISTRATION IS FREE, Online through 10/13/26 at 7pm.
Donations appreciated; all funds stay in the Hart District benefitting student programs.
Complimentary parking is available at Valencia High School
Thank you to our sponsors:
Questions? Email Christy Alben at
christyalben@gmail.com
*registering for WiSH events is an agreement to receive event confirmations and marketing emails; you agree to allow photography and your image to be possibly be used for future events.
Ascend Speakers – 2026
Speaker:
Ashley has about 20 years of healthcare experience spanning biotech, pharma, and medtech, with roles across operations, R&D, quality, market access, product development, and upstream marketing. At Boston Scientific, she has held a variety of leadership roles, most recently leading portfolio strategy and new product launches, supporting business development and acquisitions, and leading commercial integration. She is passionate about solving complex problems with great teams, helping people develop themselves, and helping the broader franchise achieve its goals. Outside of work, Ashley is a mom of two and a lifelong soccer fan (and player) who has embraced her new role as a soccer mom.
Caren Usrey
Director of Program Management
Boston Scientific
Caren has 20 years of program management experience, including 16 years at Boston Scientific leading initiatives in regulated environments. She is a proven leader of large, cross-functional, multi-site programs with strong results across R&D, Quality, Regulatory and Global Supply Chain
Licensed Psychotherapist
Heather has expertise in assessing and treating ADHD and anxiety. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University and an Advanced Certificate in Family & Couples Therapy from the prestigious Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York City. A graduate of UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, Heather integrates mindfulness meditation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) to enhance psychological flexibility, improve executive functioning, and support the mental well-being of clients in private practice as well as leaders in business and organizational settings.
Director, Marketing Communications
Boston Scientific
Diana Haugen is the Director, Marketing Communications for Boston Scientific. As a seasoned marketing professional with 20 years of experience, she has worked with global health care and consumer brands to execute patient-centered strategies that improve access to care and drive measurable business results. Diana resides in Valencia, CA with her husband Lee and two children, Owen (age 13) and Henry (age 10).
Territory Manager Specializing in Neuromodulation
Boston Scientific
Alex is passionate about creating positive change in healthcare and empowering others to thrive. With a background in social work, positive psychology, and leadership, Alix brings a people-centered approach to her work at Boston Scientific. She is dedicated to building meaningful relationships, inspiring innovation, and helping healthcare teams deliver exceptional patient care.
Alix is also the author of the children’s book A Bright House, created to inspire kindness, connection, and confidence while developing tomorrow’s positive change-makers. She believes that meaningful change begins with connection, compassion, and the belief that each of us has the power to make a difference.
*registering for WiSH events is an agreement to receive event confirmations and marketing emails; PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR CONFIRMATIONS AND WEBINAR LINKS!